The Spy Who Came in from the Cold Page #7

---

with access to all its secrets?

Who, at every stage

in Riemeck's career since 1960...

has singled him out for posts

of exceptional responsibility?

The same man who was uniquely placed

to shield Riemeck in his espionage activities,

Hans Dieter Mundt.

Mundt, by deliberately raising Riemeck

to higher and higher posts...

made it possible for him

to amass all that information...

which he passed on to Leamas.

Mundt, Riemeck, Leamas, Control.

That was the chain of communication.

But Leamas never knew...

for it is a rule in intelligence technique

the whole world over...

that each link of the chain be kept

as far as possible in ignorance of the others.

Leamas never knew

that Mundt was London's man.

Then why did Mundt kill Riemeck...

if Riemeck and he were both

working for the British?

He had no alternative.

Riemeck was already under our suspicion.

If I had been given the chance

to interrogate him...

I could have incriminated Mundt.

But I was not allowed to interrogate him.

Mundt shot him.

He killed the bird

before it could sing.

Had it not been for the defection of Leamas,

Mundt might be practicing his treachery still.

There is your saboteur.

There is your terrorist.

There's the man who has

sold the people's right.

When you come looking for

your recommendation to the Praesidium...

do not shrink from recognizing the...

full bestiality

of this traitor's crime.

For Hans Dieter Mundt,

death...

is a judgment of mercy.

Comrade Karden,

you are speaking for Comrade Mundt.

You have heard the accusations

of Comrade Fiedler.

Do you wish to examine

the witness Leamas?

Yes, I should like to

in one moment.

One moment.

The contention of Comrade Mundt

is that Leamas is lying...

and that Comrade Fiedler,

either by design or ill chance...

has been drawn into a plot

to disrupt the Abteilung...

and thus bring into disrepute the organs for

the defense of our people's democracy.

We do not dispute

that Karl Riemeck was a British spy.

There is evidence for that.

But we do dispute

that Mundt was in league with him...

and we dispute that Mundt accepted money

for betraying our democracy.

For these charges we say

that there is no objective evidence...

and that Comrade Fiedler

is intoxicated by dreams of power...

and blinded to rational thought.

We maintain that Leamas was dismissed

from the British Secret Service...

so that he should exhibit those symptoms

of, uh, physical and moral decline...

which would deceive our London agents

into thinking he was a potential defector.

But we also maintain that once

our London agents had contacted him...

he was used by Control

as a weapon...

indeed as a spearhead

in Control's plot...

to incriminate Comrade Mundt.

But Comrade Fiedler, on whose ambitions

the British so accurately counted...

accepted the evidence as true...

and thus became party to a monstrous plot

to destroy, to murder, in fact...

for Mundt now stands

to lose his life...

one of the most vigilant defenders

of our democratic republic.

I said vigilant...

comrades.

For do you really suppose that all this time

Comrade Mundt has been in ignorance...

of Fiedler's feverish plotting?

It was Mundt who took

one crucial precaution...

while the British, with Fiedler's aid,

planned his murder.

He caused scrupulous inquiries to be made

about the witness Leamas.

He was looking, you see,

for one minute human error...

in a scheme of almost

superhuman subtlety.

Now, Mr. Leamas...

Let us see whether we can assist

Comrade Mundt in his search.

Do you still refuse to tell us where the taxi

took you after your lunch with Ashe?

I don't refuse. I don't remember.

I was too drunk.

- Not too drunk to pay the taxi.

- Too drunk to remember.

But you paid.

I wonder what with.

Whatever small change I had in my pocket.

I'm like that when I'm drunk.

- Are you a man of means?

- Don't be bloody silly.

You know I was broke

when Ashe picked me up.

- Except for your taxi money.

- If you say so.

Then, now that you have paid your taxi

we may take it that you have no money at all.

Until you pay me for my services,

you may.

You cannot imagine

that some kindly benefactor...

someone perhaps

you have almost forgotten about...

would ever concern himself

with a donation to your next of kin...

or settling with your creditors?

- Some friend.

- I haven't got any friends.

Do you know George Smiley?

Mundt asked me that.

You are being asked it again.

I knew of him.

I never met him.

He was not a close friend of yours?

I never met him.

I haven't got any friends.

Thank you.

Is, uh, Is that all?

Yes, that is all.

You see, we too have a witness.

Alec.

Let the witness come forward.

Alec?

What is your name, child?

What is your name?

N-Nancy Perry.

You are a member of

the British Communist Party?

- Yes.

- Leave her alone.

If he moves again, take him out.

He can speak later, if he wishes.

Nancy...

have you been told in the Party

of the need for discipline?

Today the reason for this tribunal

will be a secret from you.

You will have to answer questions

without knowing why they are asked.

But,

But who's on trial?

It can make no difference to you

who is accused.

It is a guarantee of your impartiality

that you do not know.

Is it Alec? Is, Is it Leamas?

Look at me, child,

if you wish to go home.

Look only at who questions you.

If there is communication of any sort

between the two witnesses...

the man Leamas will be taken

from the court and dealt with.

Comrade Karden,

you wish to question your witness?

Alec Leamas was your lover, wasn't he?

Yes.

Have you had many lovers,

Nancy?

- Karden, why don't you,

- Alec, don't. They'll take you away.

Yes, they will.

Have you any savings?

- A little.

- How much?

A few pounds.

My salary's pretty small.

How small?

Eleven pounds.

How much is your rent?

Three pounds, 10.

Then why haven't you been paying it?

Why haven't you been paying it?

I own the lease.

You own a lease?

Well, I mean, uh, I mean that

someone bought it and sent it to me.

- Who?

- I don't know.

It came from a bank,

a bank in the city called Blatt and Rodney.

They said

that some charity had done it.

What charity?

I don't know.

How much was the lease?

1,000.

Are you accustomed to receiving

anonymous gifts of 1,000 from charities?

From lovers?

From Leamas?

No, I-I-I thought,

I thought it might have

come from him.

But Leamas has already told us

that he has no money, only debts.

No, I-I-I mean,

I mean from a friend of his.

Which friend?

I-I don't know.

Did anyone get into touch with you

after Leamas disappeared?

- No.

- Think.

- No.

- A friend of Leamas'?

No.

A man with a mustache

and spectacles?

Your house was watched, Nancy.

Who was he?

A lover?

A casual lover like Leamas?

- Alec wasn't a casual lover.

- But he gave you money.

Did this man give you money too?

- Who was he?

- I think it was a friend.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes